I just finished binge watching Star Trek: The Next Generation on Netflix. I was a huge fan when it first aired, even if the high school me did the best to hide it, and I still am. Here are some of the thoughts that ran through my head during the re-watching

Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner are definitely the best actors on the cast. They understand when to chew the green screen properly.

Why do costume designers think no one will wear jeans and t-shirts in the future? And why are they obsessed with jumpsuits, possibly the most unflattering outfit there is.

Michael Dorn’s Klingon laugh is a wonder to behold.

The holodeck was rather a dangerous machine. It almost destroys the Enterprise at lease four times.

So was Data. He endangers the Enterprise almost as much as he saves it. He is a writer’s savior though. “How are we gonna get them out of this one? Oh, I know. Data will be immune!”

Data is also the most popular officer on the Enterprise. Totes.

The Prime Directive is totally ill conceived as anything but a plot device.

Apparently, Earth is the only planet that has more than one culture or language.

Prune juice is funny.

So is Brent Spiner’s Sherlock Holmes voice.

I rather liked Dr. Pulaski more this time around. I kind of wish she’d stuck around for a while longer. The ship would need two doctors, no? I mean they risk their chief medical officer as much as their first and second officers.

They teased us with saucer separation for three seasons.

Why did they ever let Wesley do any experiments?

And seriously, why did Wesley have to even go to Starfleet Academy? And, seriously, you know there were ensigns on that ship that wanted to push him out the shuttle craft bay.

Picard and Crusher’s will-they-won’t-they relationship was worse than Ross and Rachel.

How does a make up artist get a four-year-old to sit still for Klingon make up?

Who would ever take their kids on that ship? Anyone wanna hazard a guess as to what was happening in the nursery when they were all infected with the drunken sailor virus?

Darmok is still one of my favorite episode. Yes, because it is a thoughtful statement on communication and the power of mythology, but also because it’s the first appearance of Picard’s jaunty suede jacket.

What do you think the day in the life of a Klingon accountant is like?

The kids in “Rascals” were surprisingly good actors.

Alexander was also Andy on “Family Ties”. I don’t know how I watched TV before IMDB.

I’m glad I know that time is a wibbly wobbly timey wimey ball otherwise some of these plots might have some holes.

I think physics might need to be a little wibbly wobbly for some of these science explanations to work.

Levar Burton is the best at delivering made up jargon. I like to imagine the writers just making stuff up to try and trip him up.

It was fun to watch this as an adult not afraid to fly my geek flag. I watched a lot in syndication over the years, but not consistently. It really held up.